Pep Guardiola will leave Manchester City following their final game of the season against Aston Villa on Sunday.Â
Multiple reports claim the Catalan coach will end his decade-long tenure at the club this summer, even though he still has another year left to run on his contract.
There has been no official confirmation of Guardiola’s decision and the manager himself pointed out recently that there is still time left to run on his deal.
Pep Guardiola to leave as Man City line up replacement
It now looks like the 55-year-old will indeed depart at the end of the season, with City making preparations for next season.
Guardiola will reportedly be replaced by Enzo Maresca, who was his assistant when the club won the UEFA Champions League in 2023.
The Italian has been out of work since leaving Chelsea in January following a falling out with the club’s hierarchy.
Maresca first joined City as manager of the Elite Development Squad in 2020, guiding the side to the Premier League 2 title. He became head coach of Parma the following year, but returned to City in 2022 after he was sacked by the Italian outfit.
The 46-year-old went on to manage Leicester City, leading the Foxes back to the Premier League by winning the Championship title. He then replaced Mauricio Pochettino at Chelsea, where he won the UEFA Conference League, FIFA Club World Cup and qualification for the Champions League.
Guardiola leaves City having won 20 major trophies over the last ten years, including six Premier League titles. Following their win over Chelsea in the FA Cup final on Saturday, Bernardo Silva praised the impact Guardiola had on his career.
“He changed the way I see football,” the Portuguese midfielder said. “Eighty per cent of my career was with him as my manager. All the things I hoped to achieve were with him. The relationship we have got is very strong with the frustrations and the achievements.
“I care a lot about Man City. That’s his decision [on whether he wants to leave]. It is not for me to comment on that. I wish all the best. I enjoy being with him, having shared all these moments together.”
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